The Ultimate Weapon
by Wings Landing
Summary: He thought he had seen it all. The steel cage of his mind thought nothing could shock his battle-hardened psyche; but today proved him wrong. A threat unlike any other lay beyond the precipice. How would he keep his promise to Relena now?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: He thought he had seen it all. The steel cage of his mind thought nothing could shock his battle-hardened psyche; but today proved him wrong. A threat unlike any other lay beyond the precipice. How would he keep his promise to Relena now?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. Any reference to the series, quotes, descriptions or otherwise are solely used for artistic purposes. I write fanfiction for fun, not profit.

**Warning**: This story is **RATED MATURE** for adult themes, violence, and citrus content.

* * *

**The Ultimate Weapon**  
Wings Landing

Chapter One

**ESUN Headquarters, Brussels  
****Shooting Range  
****AC 202**

Taking aim at another faceless target, he shot a round into the thin white paper. There was no need to look closely to see that he had hit the bullseye perfectly every time. He reloaded and reset his target, his actions not requiring any thought. It was just second nature to him; forever ingrained in his mind and body. Despite living in a peaceful world, he would always be the Perfect Soldier.

As he pierced his target's head, round after round, he thought about his life. It had already been five years since the end of the war. He almost laughed. Almost. He never expected to live as long as he had, let alone think about his past or even his future. But in the solidarity of the familiar industrial room, he indulged himself and allowed himself to remember… and to hope. As a young man of 22, he served as the head of Relena Darlian's security and had done so since the war ended. While he was able to protect the darling of the ESUN and the dove of peace, he found himself at war. Not with the peaceful world he lived in, but with himself. He both loved and hated his job. Much like his boss.

During the course of the war, he had grown to not only tolerate her but dare he admit… enjoy her company. The more time he spent with her, the more drawn he was to her.

His secondhand man Duo, had long claimed he loved her, but he didn't even know what that was. Hell, maybe he was in love. He was certainly attracted to her.

After Mariemaia's rebellion, it became evident that she would always be in his life for however long, or short, it may be. He had made a promise, a promise to protect her and the Earth's sphere, and he would be damned if he failed that mission.

However, being this close to her most of the time was both invigorating and frustrating. It was the greatest torture he had ever experienced. Yes, he enjoyed working for her... _with_ her, but with his position came certain requirements and expectations. He was to guard and protect her at all costs, with his life, if necessary. And he would gladly give his life for her, to her, in a heartbeat. But he was forbidden to become involved with his charge. It was against the rules; it was unethical as Commander Une put it. Although he had the sneaking suspicion that it was really Zechs talking.

At one point he had considered resigning just to pursue her, but that would leave her vulnerable and susceptible to being attacked. And he would never leave her without protection. Afterall, he was the best Preventer's had to offer and she deserved to be protected by the best. At least he thought so.

Or maybe his reasoning was much more selfish. Perhaps he chose to stay in his current role because he needed her, more than she needed him. Because he was scared, too scared, to lose what little they had. Admittedly, somewhere deep down he knew that she deserved someone who was from her world. Someone like her. Someone who would make her happy. Someone who would shower her with love and presents. That someone wasn't him. "_I'm not good enough_," he thought. He never would be.

Or so he thought.

An obnoxious voice coming over the intercom brought him out of his deepest and darkest thoughts. "Yo gloom and doom!"

Heero turned and aimed at the man with a ridiculous smile on his face. The braided man's current confidence was bolstered by the fact that he was hiding behind the bullet proof glass in the observatory on the second floor.

"Hey now! Don't shoot the messenger!" Duo shouted as he put his hands up in defeat. His voice got a little quieter but Heero could still hear him. "Man… he can't even take a joke. Sheesh!"

"What do you want?" he asked in his typical monotone voice.

"Une needs you in her office. Says it's real important." Duo waved at his friend below before ending the transmission.

Heero turned around and glared at the paper target in front of him, smirking as he imagined his annoying, albeit best friend, and took the shot. Bullseye.

He holstered his weapon and left the firing range feeling somewhat satisfied. Taking the stairs two at a time, he didn't even break a sweat as he climbed several flights before arriving at the top floor. As he marched down the hall, various personnel scurried out of his way, parting like the red sea so they wouldn't be bulldozed.

Seeing him coming her way, Commander Une's secretary quickly picked up the phone and announced him just before he barged into her office. Heero didn't bother with greeting his commanding officer. Instead he cut straight to the chase. "What do you need?"

Une looked up from the mountain of paperwork in front of her and gestured for him to take a seat. He reluctantly sat in the chair opposite her, propping one foot on top of his knee and interlaced his fingers in his lap as he waited for her to speak. She pushed the stack of papers off to the side, then folded her hands in front of her and straightened as if trying to compose herself. His eyes narrowed at her, trying to assess the reason for her unusual demeanor.

Suddenly she stood, pushing herself up with both hands and proceeded to walk towards her door.

"Come with me, Yuy." She looked back at him and continued, "You wouldn't have believed me if I told you. You will have to see this for yourself."

He quirked an eyebrow, intrigued as to what the hell she was talking about. Following her lead, they wove through the labyrinth of corridors within the ESUN headquarter building. Her pace was fast and her stance determined. They reached the maximum security holding area reserved only for the most dangerous and lethal of men and terrorists. Heero smirked, proud of the facility which he had personally designed himself, ensuring that no one would be able to escape. Hell, one couldn't even enter without the top security clearance and a significant amount of effort. Commander Une completed the retina eye scan and input her personal code.

"Yuy, I should tell you that no one else knows about this except for Sally and myself. None of your former comrades know yet."

His curiosity was thoroughly peaked now as he spoke, "Why is that?"

"You'll see."

They entered the locked down facility and made their way through a series of other security measures and doors before reaching their destination. Sally opened the door to the viewing side of an interrogation room, handed Une a manila folder and nodded to Heero. He nodded in return but didn't speak. Instead, his eyes were focused on the folder and his mind contemplating what secrets were contained on the pages neatly hidden within.

Once the door clicked shut Une looked back at him with an almost nervous expression and asked, "Are you ready?"

_Ready for what_, he wondered. He deduced that this must be something very important if she hadn't told anyone else yet. His patience was wearing thin. He was tired of waiting. He was more than ready to get on with this, whatever the hell it even was, but he didn't think she was based on her uncharacteristic behavior. Which alarmed him to some degree, but he simply nodded.

With a flip of the switch they were able to see the other side of the interrogation room where the suspect had been detained.

His eyes widened in shock and his mouth opened slightly. He didn't say anything; just stared at the person on the other side of the glass. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Une spoke first, "I couldn't believe my eyes either."

She took a few steps to the glass before she handed him a folder. That simple looking folder contained all the details of the hostage, details which could possibly hold the key to his past and maybe even future.

"Here's everything we know, Yuy. Take some time to look everything over before you question him."

His gaze hadn't left the person in question as he thumbed open the file blindly. Finally, he spoke, "Don't tell anyone else about this until I figure out what the hell is going on."

Then he looked down at the folder and his eyes widened even more so. Slamming the folder down on the table next to them, he pointed to one particular line and asked, "How is this possible?!"

"I was hoping you'd be able to tell me."

His heart beat rapidly as he took in her words. She didn't think that he… no, she couldn't think that_ they_ would have done that. His mind was racing through all of the possibilities and they all pointed back to _her_.

_Relena_…

"Relena's in danger." His Prussian blue eyes pierced her own.

Feeling uneasy under his intense gaze, she took a deep breath in an attempt to collect herself and turned back towards the glass. "She _needs_ to know, Heero," she replied in a soft and caring tone.

"No." He shook his head. "I'll protect her."

"I know you will, but she does _deserve_ to know." Une headed for the door, stopping short of opening it. Glancing back at him, she muttered, "Don't kill him, Heero. We need him."

Heero nodded and looked back down at the file, pulling a chair over to the table to read over it in full.

_Kill him?_ _How dangerous could he be? _Glancing back at the hostage, Heero already knew the answer. His stomach sank at the thought.

_What am I going to do? I need to tell her. But how?_

Glancing down at the file, he decided he would review all of the intel that Une and Sally had already collected before he spoke to her. It didn't take long for him to memorize every detail. Flipping the folder close with a flick of his wrist, he sighed. There wasn't much to go on. Gazing through the glass, his eyes focused on _him_.

_How the hell did this happen?_

Unsure of how exactly to best proceed, he ran a frustrated hand through his thick unruly mane thinking of _her_.

_Relena…_

To Be Continued…

* * *

**A/N**: Hello fellow Wingers and 1xR shippers! Thanks for reading! I've been working on this fic on and off for awhile and decided to pull it off the back burner. This is going to be one hell of a ride so buckle up! :-)

So who is this mysterious person anyway? And what does this all have to do with Relena? Any guesses?

Also thank you to my lovely betas, Revy679 and JenJenGundamFan. Any mistakes that remain are mine.

Until next time…

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. Any reference to the series, quotes, descriptions or otherwise are solely used for artistic purposes. I write fanfiction for fun, not profit.

**Warning**: This story is **RATED MATURE** for adult themes, violence, and lemon content.

* * *

**The Ultimate Weapon  
**Chapter Two  
Wings Landing

**ESUN Headquarters, Brussels  
****AC 202  
****A few hours later…**

Heero headed to Relena's office and like always, he didn't bother asking her secretary if she was available. He just let himself in, opening the door with a little too much oomph apparently as it banged against the wall protector. It wasn't that he meant to make a racket when he entered. He just did.

When he barged into her office, she didn't even jump. She was used to his abrupt entrances. Without looking up at him, she continued writing some notes down on a draft of legislation and asked, "What can I do for you, Heero?"

He didn't respond; just walked over behind her desk and looked out at the Brussels skyline.

She was used to his lack of response but typically when he entered into her office like _that_… well, he had something to say. Setting her pen off to the side and using her bare feet to propel her, she swiveled around to see him. She couldn't see his face but from what she could discern from his criss-crossed arms and heavy breathing, she could tell he was angry or worse yet, worried.

"Heero?" she asked softly.

She watched him shift his weight slightly from one foot to another. "_Unusual_," she thought as worry and confusion began to course rapidly through her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, tentatively reaching out to him with a single hand, only to withdraw it.

She could see him visibly swallow and she immediately felt anxious at his uncharacteristically nervous and skittish behavior.

"I need you to complete a comprehensive medical exam today," he finally said.

Baffled, her eyebrows furrowed, "What's this about Heero?"

Turning back to her, his intense gaze met hers as he spoke, "It's a matter of life or death, Relena."

Alarmed and taken back by his words, Relena stood up quickly, ready to take action. "What do I need to do?"

"First, I need you to get checked out. We'll go from there." He plastered on the best smile he could muster in an attempt to reassure her, despite the gravity of the situation.

"Okay, just give me a second to put on my shoes," she replied as she bent over to retrieve her classy black stilettos.

Heero took a glimpse of her perfect posterior, then averted his eyes. "_Focus on the mission_," he reminded himself. "_But she is the mission_," his mind retorted. Slightly shaking his head to clear his mind, he busied himself by checking his phone for emails that he never read and would most likely never respond to. He just needed a distraction, anything to think about besides her and that perfect ass of hers.

When she was done slipping on her killer heels, she adjusted her skirt back into place by tugging it down a bit and straightened her suit jacket, smoothing out the wrinkles from sitting. She strode over to the attached bathroom and opened the door, which boasted a full length mirror. With a quick side glance at Heero, she wished he would just look at her, not as an assignment, but as a woman, _for once_. Letting out a small sigh, she forced a smile and gave herself a thorough once over. Satisfied with her appearance, she announced she was ready.

Heero closed out of his email, shoved his phone into his pocket and walked over to her. Putting his hand on the small of her back, trying his best to ignore the electricity coursing through him when he touched her, he led her out of her office to the medical building.

* * *

**Sally's Office**

Relena wrung her hands nervously as she and Heero waited for Sally to come back from the lab. Heero casually leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and looked over at her.

"We'll know the blood test results soon. Don't be nervous," he tried to reassure her.

"How can I _not_ be?! You said it's a matter of life or death!" Relena blew her bangs up in frustration. "_And_ you haven't even told me what this is all about!"

"The tests are just an extra precaution. I doubt anything is wrong."

Relena huffed as she took a seat. "Well, I hope Sally comes back with the results soon."

As if on cue, Sally entered her office smiling. Relena instantly relaxed back into the cushioned seat thinking it must be good news.

"There's no need to worry, Relena. All of your test results came back perfectly normal." Sally laid out the test results on top of her desk for Relena and Heero to review. Relena stood and hovered over the results as she quickly read the report.

"You checked for foreign bodies, infectious diseases, bugs, implants, and microchips?" Heero asked point blank.

"Yes, she's all clear."

Relena sighed in relief and dropped back into the chair in front of her desk. "Oh, I'm so glad."

"I still want you to do a thorough physical exam," Heero insisted.

"I don't think that's necessary," Sally countered, then addressed Relena. "But if you are willing and would like a full physical, then I will do it. But it's not necessary, Relena. I think Heero is just being overly cautious given the circumstances."

"And what are those exactly?" Relena quipped.

Sally looked at Heero who shook his head. Taking a deep breath, Sally looked from him to her patient. "Like I said, I will do a physical out of an abundance of caution if, and _only _if, you want one."

Looking between the two of them, not sure of what to think of their intentional censure, Relena spoke up, "Well if Heero thinks it's necessary, then I'll do it." She allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she glanced at him, then looked at Sally.

"Alright. Well, Relena, I'll have you go into the exam room next door here. You'll need to remove everything and put on a gown so it opens in the front." Sally unlocked the personal exam room adjacent to her office and let them both in while she retrieved a small medical gown and light white blanket. "I'll let you change and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Relena set the items on the exam table and looked over to see Heero staring at her. Her skin suddenly felt hot under his gaze, but she forced herself to remain cool, a blessing and a curse of being a politician.

"Turn around," she commanded while she circled her forefinger around.

He didn't realize he was staring until she spoke. Naturally, like the perfect soldier he was, Heero smirked and complied. Leaning against the counter, he tried to think about anything besides Relena, a _very_ naked Relena, behind him. However, his mind wouldn't let him concentrate on anything else. He couldn't keep himself from imagining her just wrapped in the paper thin white blanket like she was a Grecian goddess. This was truly the cruelest form of torture. Heero took a deep breath when he heard her settle on the exam table.

"You can turn around now," her sweet voice called out to him.

Steeling himself, he turned around to see his princess blushing and nervously wringing her hands in her lap again. He walked over to her and was just about to tell her that everything would be fine when Sally knocked on the door.

"Everyone decent?" she asked from the other side of the door.

"Yes, come in." Relena shifted nervously on the table, trying not to look at Heero even though she could feel the weight of his gaze.

Sally walked in carrying a clipboard and set it off to the side on the white countertop to put on some gloves.

"Let's check your blood pressure first." Sally wrapped the band around her arm and pumped it up. "108 over 60. Perfect!" She jotted down the number then reached for Relena's wrist to check her pulse. Afterward, she checked her temperature and listened to her heart and lungs, then checked her reflexes.

Relena glanced over at Heero through her eyelashes, who was sitting in a chair now. Her cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of pink when she noticed him gazing back at her. He smirked at her and she could no longer look at him. It was nerve wracking to have him in the room watching her being examined.

"_Surely, he wouldn't stay for the more… intimate exams?_" She asked herself silently, further deepening her blush.

It was true, she had always dreamed and hoped that one day they would be more than what they currently are, dating and doing what people who date do… like, have sex. Relena completely turned her head away from him.

"_Oh dear God, Relena! Think of something else! Anything else!_" She chastised herself, continuing to try and think of anything but him, being naked, with her. Groaning internally, she focused on the one painting in the room in a futile attempt to change her train of thought.

"Relena? Is everything alright?" Sally asked, noticing a change in her friend's behavior.

Shaking her head quickly like a bobble head in a car going over a washboard, she quickly replied, "Yes, I'm quite alright." Relena rubbed her arms and continued, "Just cold is all."

Heero hadn't been able to tear his gaze away after noticing the hardened buds, whose shape showed through her medical gown. Suddenly feeling like a voyeur, he forced himself to look down at his shoes.

"It won't be much longer. I promise we will be done very soon," Sally replied with a reaffirming pat on Relena's arm. "So far everything seems to be in working order. Lay back on the table and I'll check your abdomen." Sally carefully parted the gown so it wouldn't expose her patient's breasts, then she pressed against Relena's stomach several times in various places. "You're all good here, too."

The blonde haired doctor looked back at Heero and said, "I need you to leave the room for the next part."

Heero looked up, his eyes narrowing as he asked, "Why?"

"Because I'm going to conduct a breast and pelvic exam."

It was Heero's turn to blush. His eyes widened a slight fraction as he stood and said, "I'll wait in your office."

Relena held back a giggle as she watched him leave.

While Sally completed Relena's exam, Heero took the opportunity to hack into Sally's computer to peruse Relena's medical record, looking for anything that might be helpful. He needed answers and he needed them quickly if he was going to be able to protect her. There was one piece of information that was glaringly missing from her official record. Only a few people knew about it and he was going to keep it that way.

He continued reading through her file and came across the words sexually active. He averted his eyes in an attempt not to look, but he had to know. His heart began to race as he glanced down at the screen. The letter "N" came after and Heero released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He felt relieved that she wasn't seeing anyone else, let alone having sex with someone. Logically, he knew that he would know if she was dating but it was a relief seeing it in black and white.

He checked the time and knew Sally would be wrapping up the exam. He quickly exited out of the program and erased all traces of him hacking into her computer and files. Heero had just walked over to the other side of the desk when Sally opened the door and waved him back inside the exam room.

"She's perfectly healthy and there's absolutely no need to worry," Sally announced happily.

Despite the good news, Heero frowned. He still didn't have any logical reason that would explain anything.

A few moments passed in silence, she looked at a downtrodden Heero who had resumed his position in the one seat available. Leaning towards him, in a quiet and somewhat timid voice, she said, "I thought that this was good news. Unless there's something you two aren't telling me." She looked from him to Sally, who reiterated everything was perfect on her end, and then back to him.

Heero's head shot up at her as he tried to back-pedal. "Yes, it is great news. I'm glad you're healthy."

Her gaze lingered on his eyes as she tried to discern exactly _what_ he was hiding. Clearly, she could still tell something was wrong, he was acting so strange, but she bit her tongue and decided not to push any further while they were still in here. Once they were alone, she would interrogate him and convince him to tell her what the hell was happening.

"Here." Sally handed Heero a physical copy of the notes.

"This visit is off the books. Don't leave any record of this visit, am I clear?" His deep baritone voice filled the small exam room.

"Of course." Sally smiled at him, then looked over at her friend. "I have a meeting to attend to now, but if you need anything at all, just call!" She winked at Relena before she took her leave.

Heero closed the exam door and locked it from the inside. Relena eyed the now locked door, then looked up at Heero who was standing at her side.

"Relena… this is probably going to seem like an odd question."

"You can ask me anything, Heero," she interjected.

"After you were abducted, did you notice anything different about yourself, such as marks, scratches, bruises, cuts, anything like that?"

Relena thought for a few moments before shaking her head. "No, I don't recall having anything like that."

Heero ran a hand through his hair and sighed as he took a seat again. He put his elbows on his knees and put his hands together trying to piece together a puzzle with missing pieces, too many missing pieces.

As they sat in silence for a few minutes, Relena admired him. He was no longer the reckless teenager she had first met seven years ago. Today he was a man, a very handsome man. His muscles were well defined and rippled underneath his clothes in a way that made her want to tear them off of him. He was irresistibly attractive. She looked at his head of unruly chocolate brown hair and smiled, remembering how soft it felt. And those eyes… God, she could drown in the depths of his Prussian blue eyes. Her gaze lingered on his face down to his lips. She licked hers subconsciously as she remembered the one time he had kissed her.

Sensing her stare, he looked at her. Relena averted her eyes quickly, pretending she hadn't been fixed on him. But the red stain on her cheeks told a different story.

He smirked at her, then sobered as he thought about their current predicament. "None of this makes any sense."

"I know I haven't had an episode in awhile. You don't think that…" She stopped and carefully chose her words before continuing, "Does my… condition have something to do with this?"

Heero looked at her closely, searching her eyes for clues. No, she didn't know. She never needed to know. Remembering she had asked a question, he responded, "No. I don't think so." Then he stood and walked with purpose over to her.

She could tell he had an idea but was afraid to ask from the look in his eyes.

"Heero… what is it?"

"Would you mind if I personally examine you?"

Relena swallowed. The thought of Heero running his hands all over her body was enough to make her lose her mind. Without thinking the words flew out of her mouth.

"Of course you can." Panicking, she thought, "_Oh God, what have I done?_"

He tenderly picked up one of her hands and flipped it over, carefully holding her hand as he inspected her arm. The sensation of his feathery touch was overwhelming. She was hot and needed air.

"You okay?" He eyed her suspiciously. He knew he certainly wasn't but he would be damned if he admitted that to her or anyone else. It took every ounce of training to restrain himself from kissing the back of her hand and capturing her lips like he once did so long ago.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she reminded herself to stay calm.

"Lay back." He gently pushed a shoulder back to get her where he wanted her. Once she was settled, Heero began to untie her medical gown. Her hand flew up to stop him.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm untying your gown to examine you," he said innocently.

"Heero…" her face was beet red again. "I'm… I'm naked," she stammered.

"_I know, I'm trying not to think about it,"_ he thought. He smiled slightly as he looked directly into her eyes, her very soul, and said, "I know. Trust me."

Relena released his hand and squeezed her eyes closed. "_Oh sweet Jesus, help me," _she pleaded.

"What was that?" he asked.

Her eyes flew open. "_I didn't say that out loud, did I?"_ She quickly replied, "Nothing!"

He raised an eyebrow and continued untying her gown. Positioning a thin blanket over her still covered breasts and another over her lap, he pulled her gown apart to reveal the creamy white skin of her abdomen. She sucked in a breath of air when he laid a hand on her stomach and closed her eyes once more. There was no way she was going to survive this if she kept looking at him and watching him touch her. "_Ughhh_," she groaned inwardly.

Despite the odd and increasingly awkward situation, Relena loved his touch and wanted him to continue. She peeked open an eye at him to see what he was doing. He was carefully looking at something on her stomach. A finger traced her belly button and she automatically giggled. She was very ticklish.

"Relena, where did you get this scar?"

She held the blanket to her chest and propped herself up on her elbow to see which one he was talking about. "Oh, I got that from when my father died."

"I thought you weren't in the explosion."

"I wasn't but I got cut on some debris."

The gears in his mind began to turn. "_It's possible but it isn't likely_," he thought.

"Do you have any other scars from then?"

"Yeah, they are super tiny though. They look almost like pinpoints." She pointed out three other small scars that were almost invisible to the naked eye. If she hadn't shown him, he would have never known they were there.

Dread washed over him. He suddenly felt sick. "_How could anyone ever do such a thing to her?"_ He looked up at her and gave her a smile so he wouldn't alarm her. It seemed to have worked for the moment.

She laid back down and he didn't bother retying her gown, he just covered her with a blanket. Relena had undergone surgery… laparoscopic surgery and she had no idea that it had ever occurred.

"_What happened to her? What did they do? What did _he_ do?_"

"_No… that bastard wouldn't have done that_," Heero argued silently with himself. "_Would he?!_" Frustrated and angry, Heero was determined to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. If not for his sanity, for her protection. But first, he needed to talk to someone.

To Be Continued…

* * *

A/N: Happy Hump Day ya'll! Sorry there's no humping in this chapter but there will be in the future. Pinky promise! ;-)

What in the world is happening?! What did they do to Relena? And who is this mystery person? The mystery continues... stay tuned folks! In the meantime, I'd love hear from you and your thoughts about the latest developments.

Also, huge shout out to Revy679, JenJenGundamFan, Ninjette Twitch and Picimadar for reading this mystery over. Any mistakes that you may have discovered are solely my responsibility. :-)

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. Any reference to the series, quotes, descriptions or otherwise are solely used for artistic purposes. I write fanfiction for fun, not profit.

**Warning**: This story is **RATED MATURE** for adult themes, violence, and lemon content.

* * *

**The Ultimate Weapon  
**Chapter Three  
Wings Landing

**ESUN Headquarters, Brussels  
****AC 202  
****Sally's Office**

"Get dressed," Heero commanded, charging out of the exam room and in his haste leaving the door slightly ajar, as he barreled into Sally's office. Reaching the phone, he snatched it up and dialed an extension.

"Who are you calling?" Relena asked but he didn't answer.

There was no need because his baka of a friend appeared loud and clear on the vidscreen. "Hey, Heero! What can I do for ya, old pal?!"

"I need you to get your ass over here and watch Relena."

"Really Heero?! I don't need a babysitter," she piped in from the background as she finished getting redressed behind the cover of the exam room door.

He turned towards her direction and briefly saw an arm poke out from behind the door as she put on her shirt, "Yes, you do. It's for your safety." Then he looked back at the screen in front of him. "I'm enacting Protocol 6883." He watched his friends' eyes grow.

"Uhhh, buddy? Isn't that a little extreme?"

"No, the circumstances demand it." He calmly replied. "I'm entrusting her to you. Fail your mission and you will die." The threat easily rolled off his tongue.

Duo waved off the threat and made a face at him. "Yeah, yeah. I'll take care of her," annoyed with how little his friend trusted him. When he saw Relena appear behind Heero, his tone changed as he cheerfully said, "Hey Princess! I'll see you real soon, okay?"

"Okay. See you in a bit." Relena replied, nervously chewing on her lower lip.

Heero disconnected the call, put the phone back in its place and turned around. Both relieved and disappointed that she was dressed again. "Everything is going to be fine. I promise," he said in an attempt to comfort her.

But Relena felt more alarmed than ever. "You really think that we need to initiate Protocol 6883?" She sat down as she felt the full weight of the situation on her shoulders.

"Yes."

"Heero, I…" Relena started but her voice trailed off as she looked down at her hands trying to wrap her mind around everything. "I… I just don't understand. I mean, why aren't you telling me anything?!"

Heero knelt down in front of her and covered her shaking hands with his. "Relena… I know none of this makes sense right now, but I need you to believe in me." He looked up at her, pleading with his irresistible blue eyes.

Struck by his gesture, she smiled down at him. "I _do_ believe in you. I always have." They shared a smile, both secretly yearning for something more, but Heero cleared his throat and moved to stand. Not wanting him to leave just yet, Relena squeezed his hands causing him to freeze in place. Faltering under his piercing gaze, she looked away and continued, "I would just feel better if I knew what this was about."

"I know… I'll fill you in after I verify a few things. I promise. I wouldn't keep you in the dark if I didn't have to," he said as his thumb brushing her delicate knuckles.

"_Yeah, right… You are just choosing not to tell me_," she wanted to shoot back, but she let out a frustrated sigh and curtly said, "fine" instead.

Sensing her anger, he released her hands and stood. "Do you remember everything about the Protocol or do you want me to go over it with you?"

"Yes, I remember," she snapped back. "_No_ communication with anyone. _No_ computers, _no_ phones, _no_ talking. Zip. Zilch. Nada. _Nothing_."

Heero chose to ignore her tone; she had every right to feel angry. It's not that he didn't want to tell her, he just couldn't. Not yet. He didn't have enough information or answers. He would be damned if she got hurt because he didn't do his due diligence.

"_Perhaps, seeing him for herself would help?_" He wondered. "_She should know I'm not enacting this protocol just for the hell of it. Doesn't she know that I have to protect her?!_"

Peering down at her, he simply replied, "Yes, that's the gist of it."

She let out a huff of air, blowing her bangs up in frustration, which used to annoy the crap out of him but he had become fond of the simple act. He was just glad she could take some of the tension out on him, rather than blaming herself like she usually did. And she _could_ still talk to people, just only the people who had been read in or who were protecting her. She just couldn't have any outside contact.

A series of knocks, that sounded more like a drum solo from an old rock n' roll song, grabbed their attention as they both turned to the door. Heero opened it and Duo barged in, immediately enveloping Relena in a big bear hug.

"RELENA!" He squealed.

Relena could barely breathe, let alone move, as she lightly patted his back with one free hand in return. He squeezed her tighter, but just as Heero was about to intervene, Duo released her.

Relena took a deep breath and said lightheartedly, "Wow, that was quite the hug."

Duo nervously scratched the top of his head. "Sorry about that but Hilde said to give you a real big hug the next time I saw you."

"_Ah, that explains it_," she silently determined. Relena laughed and said, "Well it's good to see you, Duo. And the next time you see Hilde, please make sure to give her a big hug in return."

The braided man gave a salute and plopped down into Sally's office chair, spinning around in it a few times before Heero put a stop to his shenanigans. Duo looked up at him with a face of pure innocence, "yes boss?"

Heero just glared at him.

"Soooo are you going to tell me the game plan or… Am I gonna have to guess?" Duo asked sarcastically.

Heero released his grip on the top of Sally's chair and looked from Duo to Relena. "I'm going to go to my office to get you a different set of clothes to change into. Then we'll leave the office, but wait here with Duo until I return."

* * *

Determined to get her to safety as soon as possible, Heero strode quickly to Relena's office to secure her computer and files. He then darted down the corridor to his office, grabbing whatever was stashed in Relena's "quick change" drawer. He balled and stuffed the clothes along with a few extra rounds of ammo into his rucksack, then changed into his own disguise and sprinted out the door. Thankfully it appeared everyone had already left for the day, so he didn't have to worry about running into anyone. It would be easier to get Relena out of here now without someone noticing.

He returned to Sally's office where Relena and Duo were waiting. For once in his life, he knocked before entering. He didn't want to get shot by Duo. His friend had always been trigger happy, much like himself.

"Who is it?" Duo's singsong voice came from behind the door.

"Open up, Maxwell."

Duo opened the door and his mouth fell open. "What the _hell_ are you wearing?"

"It's a disguise."

"Clearly, but you still haven't answered my question." Duo moved out of the way and cocked his head to the side as he examined his friend walking by.

Heero ignored him and tossed some clothes to Relena. "Go get changed. We're leaving."

Relena looked back at him; her eyes were full of questions but she didn't say anything. Instead, she took the pile of clothes into the exam room, this time making sure the door was fully closed, and reemerged wearing an old pair of her running shoes, faded jeans, a dark t-shirt that was a size too big, and a baseball cap. "How do I look?" She struck a few poses for the boys.

"Beautiful, darling! Simply gorgeous!" Duo exclaimed in his most effeminate voice.

Heero rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. "Come on, we don't have time for this." He wheeled in the rest of his disguise. "Get in."

"What?! I'm not getting in there!" Relena crossed her arms defiantly.

Duo leaned back on Sally's desk, grabbing a handful of chocolate candies from the candy dish, ready to enjoy the show.

"Yes, you are. We don't have time for this, Relena. Get in now." Heero gestured to the object.

"Absolutely not! Especially not until you tell me what's going on!" Relena fumed.

"Relena, I can't tell you what's going on because I haven't quite figured it out myself," he retorted.

"You mean to tell me the great Heero Yuy doesn't know?! HA! Like I would buy that for a second," she scoffed back.

"Well, it's the truth. I'll show you what I know when we get there."

"When we get _where_, Heero?" She continued to bicker.

"That's classified."

Relena gritted her teeth and shook her head angrily. "I'm not going anywhere with you, and _certainly not_ in that!" She snapped back.

"Well as the head of your security, I'm telling you that you need to get in so we can get you out of here safely."

"No! I will not get in there and you can't make me!" She crossed her arms and turned her head like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum.

"_Oh, really?_" Heero thought as he quirked an eyebrow. "Relena, _please_.Just get in so we can go," he gestured toward her ride.

"Absolutely not!" She shouted and glared at Heero angrily.

"_Mission accepted_," Heero thought.

"_Oh, this ought to be good!_" Duo thought as he shoveled another handful of sweet treats into his mouth and watched Heero take determined steps towards his target.

When Heero reached for her, she jerked back and yelled, "Get away from me!"

He ignored the stab in his heart and continued to reach out for her with an open hand. "Relena…" Heero practically growled at her. He knew she was angry at him, but enough was enough.

When he gently brushed her arm, she slapped his hand away. "I am not getting in that… _that thing_!" She pointed at it like it was the worst possible thing ever.

His patience had worn very thin and he felt his own anger rising with every second that passed. "Relena… Get. In. _Now_." He gestured towards her awaiting chariot.

"No!" Her hands were now on her hips.

Based on what he'd learned from his own relationship with Hilde, Duo realized this had just escalated to a whole new level. He tried to help by interjecting. "Uhhh, Princess. You might want to do what he says…"

Heero's head snapped towards Duo as he yelled, "shut up, Maxwell!"

Duo threw up his hands in retreat.

"5… 4…," Heero started counting down.

"Are you _seriously_ counting down?! I am not a kid! Don't patronize me!"

"Then stop acting like one."

They were out of time and she didn't budge, so Heero just went over and picked her up, kicking and screaming.

"Duo! Help me!" Relena pleaded.

Heero flashed him a warning glare towards his friend.

"Sorry, Princess! You're on your own!" Duo threw back his head as he inhaled more chocolates.

Relena continued to thrash around, she didn't necessarily want to hit Heero but she certainly did not appreciate being forced into this. So she thought one good smack should do, she aimed and smacked him… right on his firm ass. Relena froze, absolutely mortified.

Duo burst out laughing.

And Heero… just continued with his mission while taking a few seconds to enjoy the sensation of her smacking his ass. As odd as this all was, he took pleasure in it. Just having her touch any part of his body intentionally was nothing short of amazing.

"Heero!" She cried out in protest.

"Stop yelling! Someone will hear you," Heero said. Relena stopped struggling just enough so Heero could put her inside and secure the lid.

A red-faced Duo was still laughing and hitting his leg in pure amusement as Relena banged on the lid from the inside. "Heero! Let me out! How am I going to breathe?"

"Stop talking so you don't waste any oxygen," Heero said smirking back at his friend.

Duo gasped for air as he held his stomach from laughing so hard. "I can't… believe… you just…" He laughed some more. "You just put… the Princess… in the trash!" He hit his upper thigh once more and wiped away tears with the other.

"Keep laughing and I'll shoot you."

"Yeah right! You don't want anyone to know you're here. You wouldn't shoot me."

"I have a silencer that says differently."

The former Deathscythe pilot waved him away and made an effort to stop laughing. "So," he started giggling then quickly sobered under Heero's scrutiny and cleared his throat. "So… you want me to take the limo back to her place and make it look like she's home?"

"Yes. I'm taking her to a secure location. I'll be in touch. Make sure to use Channel B."

"Roger that!" He knocked on the trashcan and said, "You take care in there."

"Bye Duo." A subdued voice came from within.

"See ya later, garbage man!" Duo hooted as he waved goodbye and exited Sally's office.

* * *

Heero rolled the trash bin carrying Relena to the underground parking lot, careful to avoid cracks and potholes in the asphalt so he wouldn't jar the precious cargo inside. Once he cleared the area and made sure no one was around, he lifted a very hot and disheveled Relena out.

"I hate you." Her death glare had as much, if not more, of an effect on him than his own had on others.

The words cut him, deeply. "I'm sorry…" he whispered as he helped her into the car.

As soon as he got in, Heero looked over at her, trying to think of what to say. Eyeing her body language, he could tell she was still fuming so he rationalized that perhaps turning on the A/C would help cool her off.

She slumped down in her seat and crossed her arms thinking over everything that had transpired. Fidgeting with her sunglasses, she tried to think of some witty or cutting thing to say but nothing came to mind. And honestly, it would make it worse. Deep down she knew she should have just listened, but he was so darn infuriating.

"_How does he expect me to blindly follow him when he wouldn't even tell me anything_?!"

They had disagreements in the past, but she had never physically harmed him… although she wasn't sure smacking his ass actually hurt him. It was more like sexual assault. Blushing, she recalled how perfectly taut and muscular his rear was and instantly chastised herself. She wanted to be mad at him. He deserved it! But she also didn't want to fight. It wasn't like her, like them, to do so.

Feeling hot from their heated argument and his unconventional physical activity, he unzipped his outfit just enough to reveal his collarbone and tossed the coordinating hat to the back of the unmarked car. Glancing sideways, he assessed her body language. When he noticed tears pooling in the corner of her eyes, his heart sunk. He felt like a jerk, but she hadn't listened!

"_What was I supposed to do?_" he thought as he ran through the scenario again in his head. He may be the Perfect Soldier, but he was anything besides a perfect man. Heero was filled with regret and felt the need to apologize.

"Relena…" he said just above a whisper, his gaze locked on her profile.

"What?" she asked quietly, not making any effort to look at him.

"I'm sorry." Heero's heart pounded within his chest. "Will you forgive me?"

He didn't apologize often, at all really, but it was different with her. Only she could evoke these sorts of feelings from him and yet make him feel completely safe to experience them without feeling the need to suppress or hide them. Over the past five years, she had become quite the expert in deciphering him, which oddly didn't alarm him like it would have in the past.

Relena looked over and a tear escaped her eye and cascaded down her porcelain skin. She was just about to wipe it away when Heero reached over and swiped it away with his thumb.

"Please don't cry... I hate seeing you cry." His hand lingered on her cheek. Gently stroking her soft skin with his thumb, he continued, "And I certainly hate that I'm the cause of your tears."

She smiled a bit and then leaned into his hand, closing her eyes as she covered his hand with her own so he wouldn't move it. "I'm sorry too," she admitted in a low whisper.

Heero felt the urge to lean in and kiss her, but he didn't know if she would want to, especially after their fight. As he looked at her beautiful face, he was drawn to her soft lips, and God... did he want to kiss them, to claim them with his own. But he didn't.

Swallowing his resolve, he gently said, "We should go." He slowly began pulling his hand away, although it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Relena opened her eyes just in the nick of time to see a flicker of emotion, pain and something else, grace his handsome face. She desperately wanted to reach out to him, to pull him back to her, but she was frozen in place, lost and confused as to what had just transpired and what to do about it. Instead, she awkwardly readjusted herself in her seat and put on her sunglasses in hopes that it would shield her from his knowing looks.

* * *

Turning left out of the ESUN headquarters underground garage, he took side streets to avoid traffic and attracting unnecessary attention. After about thirty minutes of meandering aimlessly around the city, they came to yet another stoplight. The sun was beginning its glorious descent shooting beams of reddish-orange sunlight across the horizon. They were headed north so there really wasn't a need for her sunglasses anymore. Without giving it another thought, she removed them as well as her hat and shook out her blonde hair, running her fingers through the strands to remove any tangles. Meanwhile, Heero was too busy checking his side rearview mirror for the umpteenth time to notice her mistake. That was until he felt her hair brushing against his arm. His head snapped over to her.

"What are you doing?!" Heero shouted in alarm.

Realizing they were at one of the busiest intersections, he thought quickly, probably brazenly, as he leaned over and kissed her, shielding her face from view. He wanted to protect her, but perhaps he also wanted to rectify his earlier mistake.

Her lips were so soft. God, he could do this forever. He felt her relax under his touch and kissed him back. The sensation was overwhelming. He wanted nothing more than to continue kissing her but a horn blared loudly behind them. So much for keeping a low profile. He swiftly secured her hat back on her head and abruptly pulled away.

"Put your sunglasses back on."

Relena still somewhat dazed from their kiss, swallowed her hurt and tried to blink away tears that threatened to fall. "_He just kissed me in order to protect me. Not because he wanted to_," she thought.

Heero couldn't stop thinking about how good it felt to kiss her again after so many years. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thought, he told himself to stay focused on the task at hand._ "I need to get her to the safe house."_

They continued the remainder of the drive in complete silence and it was deafening. Neither knew what to say. Heero just drove and Relena looked out her window, afraid to look at him. She took a deep breath and told herself, "_Be strong, Relena._"

After about two hours, they finally arrived at their destination. Still in her seat, Relena stretched her legs and arms, cracking her back as she leaned backward. "Can I take off my sunglasses now?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah. You can take off the hat too if you'd like."

She took off the accessories while she waited for Heero to open her door for her. He was always such a gentleman. Even if he was trained to be chivalrous _after_ he began his post as the head of her security, Relena would take what she could get. Briefly meeting those deep blue orbs when he opened the door and held his hand out to help her exit the vehicle, she couldn't resist thinking how incredibly handsome he was and how much she wanted to kiss him again.

"_But I'm not in imminent danger now, so there would be no reason to kiss_," she reminded herself sadly.

Taking his hand, she allowed him to assist her and immediately missed his touch when he let go.

"Heero… can you tell me anything now that we're here?" she asked.

"I can't tell you out here. You need to see for yourself. You won't believe me if I told you," Heero replied.

"What do you mean I won't believe you?" She questioned.

"Just come with me, Relena." He offered his hand, which she readily accepted.

"Heero, I just don't understand."

He stopped and pulled her close so their bodies just barely brushed against one another, "I know… just believe in me." His eyes pleaded with her to understand.

Her eyes searched his. "I do believe in you."

"Good. _Keep_ believing in me, Relena." He squeezed her hand, led her inside the safehouse and guided her to a room in the basement. But before he opened the door, he looked back at her pleadingly. "Relena, behind this door are probably more questions than answers. I promise that I will do my best to find the answers for you."

Confused and yet intrigued, she simply nodded.

He allowed her to enter the small room first. Switching on a light, he positioned her in front of a double mirror.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes, I suppose so."

He flipped another switch so she could see inside. Her mouth fell open in disbelief.

"It can't be…" She was stunned. It couldn't be. "There's no way…" she could barely form the words.

He wasn't quite sure what to expect so Heero studied her reaction carefully.

She began to sway as she put a hand on her forehead. "Heero… I don't feel so good…"

He was just about to tell her to sit down and offer her a glass of water, but it was too late. Relena began to fall; he caught her before she hit the floor as she once did for him in Mariemaia's underground shelter.

To Be Continued...

* * *

A/N: Just another manic Monday… Hi y'all! The mystery continues! Who could this person be?! And how about our star crossed lovers?! Not really "lovers" as of yet. Ugh… they are killing me! How about that sexual tension?! Whew! *fans self* I can feel the temperature rising! Maybe something will give soon? ;-) Thank you again for your wonderful comments. I love reading your feedback and I so appreciate it! :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. Any reference to the series, quotes, descriptions or otherwise are solely used for artistic purposes. I write fanfiction for fun, not profit.

**Warning**: This story is **RATED MATURE** for adult themes, violence, and lemon content.

* * *

**The Ultimate Weapon**  
Wings Landing

Chapter Four

**Safe House, North of Brussels  
****AC 202**

Heero checked her vitals to ensure she was still breathing and once satisfied, only then did he dare move her as he carried her upstairs to rest. These episodes were becoming more and more frequent. Thankfully she hadn't had one in public...yet. As he laid her on the bed, he couldn't resist brushing away her bangs. She looked so peaceful, so incredibly beautiful. When she nestled into the pillow, her lips parted ever so slightly.

_To hell with protocol_, he thought and gently pressed his lips against her temple.

"Heero…" she breathed out.

Thinking she had awoken, he started, but he was shocked to find her still asleep. He only hoped that the wisp of a smile on her angelic face was proof enough that perhaps it was a pleasant rest. He stole but a few precious moments watching her sleep before slipping away to contact Sally.

"Heero, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon. Everything okay?" Her voice was thick with concern.

"Relena had another one of her episodes when she saw _him_," Heero replied calmly.

"I don't blame her! I would have passed out, too!"

"Sally, there's more..." Heero paused, choosing his words carefully before continuing. "After you examined her, I discovered some scars on her abdomen that Relena claims she received from the explosion that killed her father."

"What kind of scars?" she asked, then suddenly shouted a series of questions at him. "Wait a second! How did you know about these scars? Did you perform some sort of your own examination on her as well?" Her tone clearly suggested he had a more intimate knowledge of Relena, but he refused to react to her innuendos.

"Relena pointed them out to me," he replied, intentionally leaving out the part where he examined her. "They look like pin pricks, perhaps scars from a laparoscopic surgery."

"But she hasn't had any surgeries… at least, not that I'm aware of, anyway."

"Exactly," Heero said pointedly.

"You mean you think someone did this to her? Who could have done that to her?" Sally questioned.

"Who else? Dr. J certainly had the capability to perform any number of surgeries, let alone medical experiments on her after the bombing," Heero explained.

"What exactly do you think he did to her?" Sally asked, alarmed.

"I can't be certain, but I have some ideas."

"Care to share with the class?" Sally quipped.

"Not yet. I want Relena to talk to _him_ first," Heero replied.

"Understandable. Well make sure to keep Relena hydrated and stay with her until she wakes up just in case something more happens."

"I will."

"Alright, well if you need anything, just call. I always have my phone on me," Sally added.

"Thanks." Heero disconnected the phone call, not bothering to say goodbye.

Peeking inside Relena's room, he checked to see if she was still asleep and doing well before he headed to the kitchen, where he prepared himself a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Thankfully the safehouse was always well stocked with provisions. In fact, this kitchen boasted more food than Heero had at his apartment. He was just about to take a bite of his dinner when he heard her scream.

"Heero?!" An alarmed voice came from her room.

Within seconds, Heero burst through her door with his gun drawn, always ready to defend his princess. Although he knew that no one could penetrate his security system here and the _suspect_ was still secure, he was just overly cautious when it came to her. Relena sat upright on the bed, wide-eyed and trembling, but nonetheless perfectly safe.

"Heero," she said in a shaky voice. "Where are we?"

Heero reengaged the safety on his gun before tucking it into the back of his pants. "We're at the safehouse north of Brussels."

A flash of remembrance crossed her face, then her cheeks tinted pink as she looked away. "Oh yes, I remember now."

"Do you remember how you got here?" Heero questioned.

"Yes, I remember getting out of the car, but the rest is just a blur." She put a hand up to her forehead as if she was trying to put together the missing pieces.

_So she doesn't remember seeing him then_, he thought. "How are you feeling?" He walked over to her and sat on the bed.

"Tired, but otherwise fine." She shifted on the bed so her legs hung over the side. "Did it happen again, Heero?" she asked quietly.

He looked over at her and replied, "Yeah..."

She looked down at her lap and began to cry. "Heero... what's happening to me?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. He had never touched her like this, but it felt natural, so normal, as her head automatically rested against him. And then his hands were stroking her back in a gentle caress before he could even think to stop them.

"Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay," he said to reassure her, and also himself. He had no idea how to help her, or what to do about _him_. Heero couldn't help but think _he_ had something to do with what she was experiencing and was determined to find out.

As Heero rubbed her back slowly to ease her anxiety, Relena nuzzled into the crook of his arm as she finished her cry. They sat there in silence, just enjoying one another's company and the comfort they both brought one another. Once the tears stopped flowing, she sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Noticing the wet spot on his shirt, she blushed and mumbled an apology as she brushed at it, as if that would do any good.

Smiling at her, he took her hand in his and said, "Don't worry about it."

She shyly met his gaze and smiled, her cheeks now tinged a dark pink. Then her stomach let out a loud growl. Heero watched as her face contorted in udder mortification.

Heero lightly chuckled and said, "Come on. I'll make you something to eat." He pulled her to her feet and led her to the kitchen, not letting go of her hand the entire time. There was no denying the surge of electricity which jolted through him when he touched her. Unfortunately, the kitchen was only a short distance from her bedroom and he had to release her from his hold in order to get her a drink of water. As he poured her a cup, he caught her taking a sip of his coffee.

"You'll be up all night if you drink that," he warned, unbothered by her stealing his beverage.

She blushed as she held the steaming mug in both of her hands and took another sip. "I know…" she said, then she set it down. "I just wanted a little."

Heero lips tugged upward, a facial expression he had become accustomed to wearing around her, as he handed her a glass of water. "You should drink this instead."

Relena readily accepted the cold liquid and meandered over to the fridge to see what was available.

"I made a club sandwich. Would you like one?" Heero offered.

"Oh, that sounds delicious!" she exclaimed as she pulled out a jar of dill pickles.

Heero whipped up another one and cut it diagonally, just how she preferred her sandwiches, and put it on her plate.

After taking a seat at the table, she forked out a pickle and asked, "Want one?"

Heero grimaced and shook his head no, causing Relena to giggle at his response.

"What?! You don't like pickles?" she asked, completely shocked.

Still making a repulsive face, he replied, "No, they're disgusting." Grabbing his coffee and sandwich, he sat down next to her.

Relena stabbed her pickle with her fork and playfully jabbed it at Heero. "Just take a bite!" she taunted.

Heero laughed and scooted away from her to avoid her attack, but she only advanced, leaning closer to him.

"Aw, come on! Just one little bite… For me?!" she begged in an adorable whiny voice that he simply couldn't resist.

"Fine."

She squealed with excitement and held the pickle up to his lips. Watching her, unsure if she would try to shove it down his throat, he opened his mouth ever so slightly to take a small bite. Chewing it, he decided it wasn't all that bad after all, but he probably wouldn't ever choose it willingly.

"See… it's good!"

"Hn."

She took a bite after him and set it back on her plate before taking a large bite of her sandwich. Closing her eyes, she seemed to savor the favor from the moans elicited from her mouth. "Mmm, this is soooo good." A hint of a smirk played across his handsome features at the pleasurable sound coming from her lips. Unaware of her power over the man next to her, she moaned again, then munched down another delicious bite and added, "Thanks for making me dinner." She chewed on her bottom lip, pausing for just a second as if in deep thought. Then she looked directly at him and blushed. "And for taking care of me," she added quietly. She dropped her gaze, returning her focus to her meal.

Heero stilled, his hands holding his sandwich above his plate, as he watched her, carefully trying to decipher her words and their meaning from the way she said them. He smiled in her direction, then responded. "You're welcome."

After swallowing some water, Relena remarked, "I didn't know you could cook."

"I can't really, but I can make some damn good sandwiches," he replied with a smile.

She giggled and agreed before taking another delicious bite. Glancing over at her, he smiled and thought about what a crazy day it had been, from meeting _him_ to the maddening physical exam he performed to stuffing her in a trashcan to their kiss to carrying her in his arms. Needless to say, it had been one hell of a day and oddly enough he had never enjoyed himself so much. Of course this mission was not nearly as physically taxing like a majority of his assignments but it was still nonetheless exhausting. No amount of training could have prepared him for the emotional toll this would have on him.

Focusing back on the remainder of his sandwich, he thought about how he loved spending time with Relena; he would spend every waking hour with her if he could, and there was no denying something had changed between them today. It was just a gut feeling he had. Being with her, near her, like this was intoxicating. He secretly made a mental note to ask her out on an actual date like a typical young man his age would do. Then Heero felt her gaze and looked over at her questioningly. "What?"

Her cheeks flushed a bright crimson when he caught her staring. She shook her head and hurriedly replied, "Nothing."

He continued to assess her peculiar behavior, noting the frequency of her blush had increased substantially over the course of the day, especially after he kissed her. Heero pushed the thought of her lips to the back of his mind as he tried to think of something, anything, to say to her, but no words materialized. It wasn't long before they both finished their sandwiches and sat together in a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the moment. A few more minutes passed, then Relena yawned, signaling an end to whatever had transpired between them.

"You should get ready for bed. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow," Heero suggested as he collected their cups and dishes.

"Heero… why won't you tell me what's going on?" Relena asked in a somber tone.

Heero paused with the dishes in his hands hovering above the sink as he glanced back at her. He turned back to his task and gently slid the ceramic plates into the soapy water as he said, "Because I don't have all of the answers. Not yet."

"But… can't you just tell me what you do know?" Relena asked. She strode over next to him, her hand reached out to touch his forearm. She hesitated and retracted it back to the safety of her side when he looked at her sharply.

He was annoyed with the onslaught of questions, but she deserved answers. Looking down at the dishes, he vigorously scrubbed them. "Relena… I'm sorry. I really am, but I can't tell you what I don't know. Tomorrow we'll figure out a plan."

"A plan? For what?" she pressed.

He looked over at her, his eyes pleading with her as he spoke. "Just trust me on this, okay?"

Sighing, she acquiesced to his request, despite her frustration with him and the entire situation. Heero loved her passionate determination but her interrogation techniques were subpar at best. She would never be able to get him to divulge anything he didn't want to. He decided to change the subject in hopes of calming the peeved pacifist. "If you'd like to take a shower, there's a bathroom across the hall that you can use." He didn't look up at her as he dried off the dishes.

"Thanks, I'll go take one right now," she said and started for the bathroom.

From her tone of voice, Heero could tell she was trying to mask her disappointment. "Relena, wait." Heero grabbed her hand with his, still damp from cleaning.

When he looked at her, he could tell she was shocked. Hell, he was too. Relena glanced down at their joined hands, then back up at him, it was clear she was waiting for him to say something. But he just stood there staring at her. He didn't know what to say exactly or even how to say it.

"Heero?" she breathed, and took a step toward him.

Heero pulled her towards him, enveloping her within his strapping arms, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss. Clearly overcome by surprise, Heero felt Relena momentarily freeze as he pressed his lips against hers. It was only when his warm, wet tongue teased the entrance of her mouth that she relaxed in his embrace and returned his affection. She snaked her arms up his chest and around his neck, further deepening their kiss as she allowed him access.

There were no words to describe the feeling that washed over him when she scratched his scalp as her fingers entangled themselves in his hair. Encouraged by the sweet sounds coming from within her, he brushed over the exposed flesh between the bottom hem of her shirt and her pants, her skin pebbling beneath his fingertips. His hand seemed to linger as if asking permission to touch her. Relena shifted her weight from one foot to the other until she was pressing her hip into his hand and he immediately took the hint, grasping her side and gently kneading her skin with his skilled fingers.

Noticing her trembling knees, he held her tighter still, molding her to himself in order to keep her upright. Heero slowly maneuvered her back against the kitchen counter as he continued to ravish her.

He felt her phone in her hip pocket vibrate. Not wanting to be disturbed, he quickly silenced it. Thankfully Relena didn't seem to notice because she made no move to check it. Or maybe she did and decided against answering it. Either way, Heero was glad to have her all to himself just this once.

Then his cell began to vibrate. Mentally cursing, he reluctantly pulled away from Relena to glance down at his phone to see who was calling. The name that appeared on the screen immediately made him want to commit murder.

"Who is it?" Relena asked breathlessly.

Heero glowered at the phone, cletching it ever so tightly as he tried to suppress the urge to throw the electronic device against the wall.

"Heero?" she asked, her voice clearly curious.

"Duo," he said as he picked up the call and stepped away from Relena. His eyes briefly met hers before a closeup of his friend's Cheeto-crusted mouth appeared before him. "Duo! What the hell do you want?!"

Duo, clearly startled, dropped his phone as he apologized for accidentally calling him. "Sorry, man! I was trying to voice text Hilde but it looks like I called you. My bad!" Duo laughed it off before shoving another handful of Cheetos in his mouth.

Heero was about to hang up on him when Relena came to his side, her eyes narrowed as she looked at the vidscreen. "Duo! That's my brand-new couch!" She looked on in horror at her crystalline couch covered in a layer of orange dust from his Cheetos. "You're a dead man when I get back!" she yelled angrily.

Taken aback by her words, Heero's mouth opened slightly and Duo fell completely silent. After a beat, Heero said, "You heard her. I'm going to kill you." There was an audible gulp before Heero disconnected the call.

"I can't believe he's eating Cheetos on my couch! What is he thinking?!" she roared, shaking her hands beside her head in frustration.

"He isn't," Heero simply replied.

Running a hand through her hair, she huffed, then declared that she was going to shower. Before he could stop her a second time, she slipped out of his reach and into the bathroom. Heero flexed his fists and counted down from ten. Rarely did he get angry with anyone, but Duo had a special talent for eliciting it from him. To pass the time, he put away the dishes and wiped down the countertops in an effort to ignore the sound of water falling from the showerhead and splashing against her. Her naked form. Heero froze as he fantasized about Relena showering.

"Heero?" Her voice snapped him out of his dream and back into reality.

Her face was flushed as she peaked out from behind the bathroom door. Steam rose from within like a sauna. One of her arms clung to her torso, holding up a small towel wrapped around her that barely covered her breasts and bottom. Water droplets clung to her seared skin. "Heero?" she asked again, shyly twisting her ankle in the most tantalizing way.

His eyebrows rose slightly as he replied, "Hmm?"

"Um, do you have any clothes I could wear?"

"Uh, yeah." Heero headed to the bedroom, not really thinking; just doing what he was asked. He rummaged through the bag he hastily packed earlier and found one pair of pajamas. The only problem was that they were his. He held up the bottoms and imagined her wearing them. Seeing her topless would be a dream come true, but that certainly wouldn't happen tonight. He snatched up his shirt and handed it to her. "Sorry, it's the only thing I have. I forgot to pack your pajamas."

"Oh. That's okay." She thumbed the fabric and smiled up at him. After a few moments, neither of them had made a sound or a move, so she awkwardly said, "Well… I'm going to get dressed. I'll be out soon." She gently closed the door in Heero's face. He felt like such an idiot. He had no idea what he was doing. His heart was racing as he tried to determine what to do. Before he could think of anything, the door flung open. Relena gasped, apparently surprised that he was still there.

"Oh! Hi."

"Hi," he replied automatically. _What am I doing? I'm such a fool. _

"Um… I think I'm going to head to bed now," she said, tucking a strand of her long golden tresses behind her earlobe.

"That's a good idea." Heero stepped to the side to get out of her way and watched in complete fascination as she sashayed across the hall to the bedroom. _Oh God._ His dark blue t-shirt barely covered her rear. It was becoming increasingly hard for him to ignore the growing discomfort in his pants. He turned to take his own shower, a cold one, to cool his head.

The shower only provided momentary relief for his current predicament, which he knew would likely become even harder within the next few days. Heero stood in front of the mirror and examined himself, his skin marred with jagged scars of varying length and color. His fingers found the scar on his right forearm that she had lovingly treated and bandaged in the locker room on Libra. He couldn't help but smile at the memory of her tending to him.

His hand dropped and he looked at his reflection into his killer eyes and wondered if she would even agree with his plan. He didn't know, but he hoped she would. He finished toweling off only to realize that he neglected to bring his pajama bottoms into the bathroom so he just put on his clothes he had worn earlier. As he opened the door, he heard her sweet voice call out to him.

"Heero?"

He stepped out into the hallway and towards the bedroom, but he dared not go any closer, knowing it would be difficult to resist temptation. Deciding to hold his current position, he leaned against the door frame and asked, "Yeah?" Her gaze shifted to the floor as she moved to stand up from the covers.

"Heero… will you… um… Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked hesitantly.

_Always._

He glanced up at her as he tried to read her expression. As much as he knew it would kill him, he couldn't deny her request. "Sure," he replied instead, and took a seat in the oversized recliner in the corner. Her smile was reward enough, but he still wanted more. What he would give to be able to crawl into bed with her and hold her all night long.

Closing his eyes, he forced himself to think of the suspect in the basement and what he was going to do. He knew he needed to check on him, then contact Une and update her on the situation, but he would wait until Relena was soundly asleep before he left the room.

* * *

The hours passed by quickly: too quickly. Heero barely had a few hours sleep. Not wanting to wake her, he carefully rose from the chair and crept out of the bedroom, taking care to avoid the creaking floorboards. Once he reached the kitchen, he made a large pot of coffee with two extra scoops of the dark roast. He needed all of the caffeine he could get. It was going to be another long day.

Hearing the quiet shuffle of padded feet behind him, he retrieved another mug from the cabinet.

"You're up early," he said as he poured her a cup of the steaming hot liquid.

"Yeah, I wanted to return the favor and make you coffee. But like usual, you're up before me." Heero handed her the mug which Relena readily accepted with both hands. Like always she held it beneath her nose and closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent of the caffeinated beverage.

Heero didn't waste any time and cut to the chase. "Relena, after we have breakfast I have something to show you." He watched her take a tentative sip, testing the temperature of the coffee before taking a bigger drink. She didn't say anything; she just nodded.

It wasn't long before they had eaten and finished getting ready for the day. For the second time, they headed down to the finished basement but before Heero opened the door, he paused and turned to face her. "Relena, I want you to know that I don't have all of the answers but we'll find them together. Okay?"

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Okay. Let's get on with this then." She pushed past him to open the door and confidently stride into the room. However, she abruptly stopped in her tracks when she saw _him_. Despite every possible scenario that had crossed her mind, this was not one of them.

Heero continued to observe her, prepared to catch her if she had another one of her fainting spells.

"Is that..." her words failed her.

"Yes, it is."

"I don't understand." Her heart was racing. _How could this have happened? Who? What? How? _She had so many questions. She felt sick.

"Relena..." Heero looked at her, his voice filled with concern.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Relena asked as she felt tears begin to form.

Heero's usual unemotional eyes flickered. "I didn't know."

"Why is he in there?!" She pointed at the captive.

"He's dangerous."

"Surely he doesn't _need_ to be handcuffed!"

"He has to be..."

Relena shook her head no. "Heero! He is _just_ a child!"

"I know. But he's dangerous. We can't trust him." Heero calmly replied.

"Is he your younger brother?"

"No."

"Then who is he?"

Heero shifted nervously under her gaze and walked up to the double-paned mirror, running a hand through his hair. _How can I explain this? _

He didn't even have the courage to look up at her. He couldn't.

"Relena…"

He heard her take a long and slow deep breath before she asked, "Soooo he's...he's...he's your son?"

Heero still couldn't look at her, scared to see what he might find. "Yes, he's my biological son."

"Who... who is his mother?"

"Relena... I..." He hesitated trying to formulate a way to break the news to her. He finally glanced at her and saw her hug her arms tightly. His chest tightened at the sight of tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.

"I don't live under a rock, you know. You're a man. A very attractive man. And you have needs..."

Heero's heart stopped at the sight of her crying. His hand rose to wipe away her tears but she brushed him off. "Relena…"

"Excuse me... I just… I just need a moment." She backed away from him and strode out of the room.

Heero looked back at the kid, a mini-me, an exact replica of him. Just then, the kid looked back at Heero and smiled as if he could see right through the two-way mirror.

Heero's heart sank again. _Who was this kid?_ He was a dad and had no idea who his son was. He never really thought about having kids. But if and when he did have children, he wanted to have them with one woman, and one woman only. If only he could be so lucky to have her.

Worried about Relena, he headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. A broken sob coming from the bathroom grabbed his attention and tore at his heart. He found her sitting on the floor hugging her knees. Her head was buried in her folded arms and shoulders shuddered with every cry. She didn't look up as he squatted down in front of her.

"I'm...sorry..." she choked out between sobs.

Heero lightly ran a hand over the crown of her head. Her hair was as soft as silk. "Relena, I'm the one who should apologize."

He gently tilted her chin up towards him so he could gaze into her sea blue eyes.

"Please don't cry." He wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "Relena…"

"Tell me, Heero. I need to know."

"I'll tell you everything I know."

Relena just stared at him as if waiting for him to speak but he just kept looking at her waiting for the inevitable question. Finally, she spoke. "Who is his mother?"

"You are."

* * *

Dun dun dunnnnnn. Sorry it took forever to get this chappy out, friends. I struggled A LOT with it. Special thanks to ForgottenStorm87, JenJenGundamFan, NinjetteTwitch, Picimadar, Revy679, and RFP for helping me. You guys rock my non-existent socks! XD With that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm also excited to announce that I've been working on Broken again so you should see some updates for both The Ultimate Weapon and Broken in the near future. Hopefully. Fingers crossed. Haha! As a new mom, time goes rather quickly. So keep those comments and reviews coming! They definitely encourage me to keep writing. Until the next time, take care and stay healthy out there!

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	5. Chapter 5

Trick or Treat…

Happy Halloween, Gundam Friends! I have missed you all so much and I hope this chapter is a treat for you. Many thanks to my betas, Revy679, Enelle1989, and ForgottenStorm87! This story wouldn't be what it is without you. Please be sure to check out their awesome fics too!

In Rose,

Wings Landing

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. Any reference to the series, quotes, descriptions or otherwise are solely used for artistic purposes. I write fanfiction for fun, not profit.

**Warning**: This story is **RATED MATURE** for adult themes, violence, and lemon content.

* * *

**The Ultimate Weapon**  
Wings Landing

Chapter Five

**Safe House, North of Brussels  
****AC 202  
****Day Two**

Looking at _him_, Relena's stomach dropped as dread began to fill her heart and the only sound was it's rapid repetition, like a beating of a drum attempting to block out everything she had just heard. Her mind raced through the possibilities, each thought worse than the previous. Bile rose in her throat while she nervously swallowed, fighting back against the waves of nausea slamming into her.

_It can't be... The boy is only 5… 6 years old, tops. That means Heero would have had to have… but that was during the war. Heero hadn't ever mentioned a girl, but why would he? Oh God… does he have a partner now and I don't know about it?! _

"Relena…"

She shut her eyes to hold the quickly gathering tears at bay and took a very long, slow and deep breath before she asked, "Soooo he's...he's...he's your son?"

Heero avoided her gaze, instead finding a particular spot on the floor and intently stared at it. "Yes, he's my son," he said in his usual unwavering tone.

She felt her cheeks warm with a rush of heat as she sucked in a much needed breath and held it, praying it might also allow her to hold onto what remained of her sanity. _It… it can't be…_ A wave of nausea hit her and a deep ache in the pit of her stomach intensified with each passing moment. She, too, stared at the floor as she tried to gather her thoughts. She slowly counted in her mind.

_One… two… three… four… five…_

Swallowing the bile in her throat once more, she briefly looked up out of the corner of her eye to see him still avoiding her gaze. Relena brushed her hair away from her face and straightened her shoulders in an attempt to appear okay when she was anything but. The urge to pass out was tempting, but she had to know. "Who…" she started, her lower lip quivering. _Come on, Relena_. Determined to find out the answer to the question burning in her mind, she blurted out her inquiry. "Who is his mother?!" Her mouth shut just as abruptly as she opened it.

Her eyes didn't meet his as she asked. She couldn't look at him, knowing if she did, she would surely cry.

"Relena... I..." The sound of her name on his lips caused her to lift her eyes as he seemed to hesitate in response. Her breath came fast and heavy as the lump in her throat grew larger. Yet another wave of nausea crashed against her frail frame.

She hugged her arms to comfort herself in preparation for the news she didn't wish to receive, but needed to know. "I don't live under a rock, you know. You're a man. A very attractive man. And you have needs..." Her strength failed as a tear slipped down her cheek. She felt his calloused hand tentatively touch her cheek to wipe away her tears, but she pulled away.

"Relena…" The tenderness in his voice pulled on every heartstring. How she wanted him to embrace her, but that could never be. Not when there was another woman. She swallowed her pride and managed to say, "Excuse me... I just… I just need a moment." She backed away from him, bumping clumsily into the door as she made her escape.

* * *

Although she didn't hear him come up the stairs, she knew it was only a matter of moments before he would. Anytime she cried, he was always there to console her. But this time, she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted him to do so. Relena tried to pull herself together but couldn't. "I'm...sorry..." she choked out between sobs.

Huddled on the floor with her knees drawn to her chest, she peaked to the side and saw his shoes. She heard the soft rustle of fabric as he bent down, then she felt his tender touch on the top of her head as he gently spoke, "Relena, I'm the one who should apologize."

Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again. Her lip quivered as she tried to stop crying. The gentle touch of his fingers tilting her chin up towards him was reassuring but yet heart-wrenching at the same time. The thought of him with another woman was agonizing to even consider.

"Please don't cry." She closed her eyes in relief as she felt him wipe away her tears with his thumbs. "Relena…"

She looked him dead in the eye and firmly stated, "Tell me, Heero. I need to know."

"I'll tell you everything I know."

Relena just stared at him, waiting for him to speak, but he just kept looking at her. So she continued. "Who is his mother?"

"You are."

* * *

**Sanc Kingdom  
****AC 200**

It was a rare, but nonetheless exciting, occasion in which Heero would practically kidnap her and force her to wear a disguise in order to get her away from her work. She pretended to not enjoy being pulled away from her duty but she secretly loved the fact he would intervene when she got too overwhelmed or stressed.

Today, she dawned a short brunette wig, brown contacts, torn jeans and an oversized lavender t-shirt that hung off her shoulder. Heero wore jeans and a hoodie with a baseball cap.

"Nice outfit," Heero remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

Relena smiled at his quirky sense of humor, then boastfully bantered, "I have a new stylist."

"Is that so?" Heero turned to her and gave her a knowing grin. "Do you like him?"

She shrugged, "Ahhh, he's alright I suppose." Relena's heart leapt when she heard a light chuckle come from the once stoic soldier.

"Well I think he has good taste," he jested in return, playfully bumping her with his elbow. She couldn't help but laugh since he was the one who picked out this ridiculous ensemble.

As they walked down the winding path, she studied him. She was always perplexed as to how he got his hat on and how he got it to stay on with his wild mane. He must have noticed her staring because he glanced over at her and quirked an eyebrow in question. She felt her cheeks warm, embarrassed that she had been caught. He opened his mouth to say something but a soccer ball rolled in front of them, interrupting their exchange. A young boy ran towards Heero to retrieve the ball. Heero obligingly kicked it back to the kid. Relena smiled as she watched Heero engage with the boy, secretly wondering what he would be like as a dad.

They continued to walk around the park, not saying anything, just enjoying the fresh air and each other's company. She knew Heero wasn't one for talking much but he was an excellent listener. She would rant and rave about the latest problem and he would offer counsel, usually to secretly _take care_ of anyone involved, jokingly of course or at least she would like to believe he was joking. Over the past few years, he had become increasingly open with her. As a result, she found he had a good sense of humor, and she also found it to be rather endearing.

They had almost finished circling around the playground when Heero steered her towards the park bench. Confused as to why he wanted to stop, since he always told her it was too much of a security risk, she awkwardly stood in front of him as he sat down.

"Sit," he said as he placed a hand on the bench next to him.

She immediately sat down, probably a little too close as her bare shoulder brushed against his bicep. Just as she was about to scoot over, to give him some more room, he snaked his arm behind her. Relena shivered as his thumb brushed against her shoulder blade. Instead of resting his hand on her like she wanted, he held onto the edge of the bench. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. _Oh Lord help me_, she thought to herself as she momentarily ceased breathing.

"Smile while I talk to you," he said calmly and slowly. "I think there's someone following us, so that's why we stopped here."

Like a good actress, she played her part smiling and giggling accordingly, while Heero strategically scanned the vicinity for any threat. After a few minutes, he gave the all clear.

"I suppose we should get back now," she said half-heartedly.

"We don't have to go yet if you don't want to."

Smiling she relaxed back into her seat, closed her eyes and took a deep breath enjoying the sweet aroma of the honeysuckle blooming nearby.

"Thanks for rescuing me...again," she replied with a hit of humor at the end.

"Anytime." Heero quickly responded devoid of any emotion like usual. However, his head leaned in just enough for Relena to notice. She knew he cared, obviously he cared enough to save her from yet another hectic day at work. But the rare grin currently plastered on his stoic face was truly the best gift.

Together they sat there watching a group of children play soccer, while an older brother encouraged his younger sister to go down the tallest slide on the playground for the very first time. Relena couldn't help but be sympathetic towards the girl who was clearly terrified of heights by the way she gripped onto the railing and nervously looked down below. She didn't look older than four years old. Her brother kept saying, "you can do it, sis! You can do it!" Finally, the young girl zoomed down the slide with the most horrified look on her face. Relena was sure the girl was about to cry but instead she threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed, "I DID IT!" Her dad raced over from the opposite side of the playground and scooped her up, showering her with loving kisses and praise. Out of the corner of her eye, Relena caught a glimpse of a smirk playing across Heero's face as they watched the familial scene play out in front of them.

Then out of the blue, Heero asked, "Do you ever want kids?" Shocked by the profound personal question, Relena whipped her head to look at him. His focus was still on the young girl in the arms of her doting father. She watched as his cheek twitched so the slightest of smiles graced his features. She, too, smiled as she watched him watching the girl. As he turned to gaze at her, she relaxed back against the wooden bench, even closer to him than before, as she replied, "Yes, I'd love to have children someday." She could have sworn she felt his thumb rub against her shoulder a few times but she dared not look away from his searching blue eyes to confirm her suspicion.

* * *

**Safe House, North of Brussels  
****AC 202  
****Day Two**

"What?" she asked, blinking a few times. She couldn't have heard him correctly.

"You're his mother, Relena."

"No, I'm not." She stared at him with her mouth agape, completely baffled by his words.

Relena was all but a mere puppet as Heero hoisted her up and guided her into the family room with his hand firmly on the small of her back. None of this made sense to her. She watched as Heero pulled out a file from his backpack and eagerly accepted it when he offered it to her. "Sally ran the DNA test 3 times. He's _our_ biological son, Relena."

Relena looked at the paper, quickly scouring over the results, her eyes darting from the glaring evidence, to him and then back to it. "I don't understand. I've never even had sex, _we've_ never had sex. And I've certainly never been pregnant."

"Yeah, that's what I thought and that's why I wanted you to be thoroughly examined. I wasn't sure how _he_ came to be in existence, but when I saw the small scars on your stomach, I knew."

She felt his warm hand press against her abdomen and instinctively she put her hands over the top of his. She felt like fainting...again.

"But...how?" She asked slowly.

Taking notice of Heero's gesture to sit, she plopped down while her eyes were still locked with his as he took a seat next to her.

"I think Dr. J must have extracted some of your eggs while you were knocked out."

Relena covered her mouth, trying to take in what he said. Her stomach knotted as nausea reared its ugly head again. Bile rose once more, this time she wasn't able to quench it. _Oh God_. She was definitely going to be sick.

Dashing to the nearest receptacle, she projectile vomited while doing the best to keep her hair out of the way. She felt Heero's hands brush against her temples as he gathered her locks into a ponytail without a hair tie, with one hand he securely held her hair while the other gently caressed her back. Once she emptied the contents of her stomach, she wiped the saliva tinged with acid and a hint of blood away from her quivering lip with the back of her hand.

"Well you took that a lot better than I thought you would," Heero said with a tinge of humor in his deep voice.

Still face down in the trash can, she wanted to laugh but didn't for fear of dry heaving. Instead she blinked away the tears forming in the corners of her eyes, then closed them to focus on controlling her rapid breathing.

_One… two… three… four… five…_

Feeling completely mortified that she just threw up in front of him, she just continued to stare into the rancid abyss below her as she braced herself against the wall. Everything hurt. Her head was now throbbing. With one hand she massaged her forehead but it did little good.

_This is a nightmare. How in the world could I be his mother?_

"Feeling better?" Heero asked in a gentle tone.

"Feeling better?" She echoed his question as she tried to process what he even asked. She paused to think before she slowly straightened while dabbing at the corner of her mouth with her index finger. Her eyes flickered up towards his as she replied, "Honestly, Heero… I don't even know what I'm feeling right now," she replied.

Heero nodded slowly, in understanding or just confirmation that he heard her, she didn't know. She stood still as she watched him retrieve a washcloth from the bathroom, wet it and wring it out before handing it to her.

"Here. Put it on the back of your neck. It will help with the headache."

She felt a small smile creep up on her lips as she accepted his offering and placed it on the back of her neck. The ice cold wet sensation immediately sent shivers down her spine and oddly enough her headache seemed to melt away. However, she felt another wave of nausea rock her as her thoughts fell back on her son. _My son… Oh God. What are we going to do? _

"Could you make me some tea, please?" Relena asked. Her throat felt like sandpaper and she desperately needed a drink. A strong one. But she couldn't stomach alcohol at the moment. Tea was a better choice and usually helped her feel better.

"Of course. I'll make some peppermint tea. It will help with the nausea."

Heero never ceased to amaze her with his thoughtfulness and knowledge of her and her preferences. She sighed without realizing it until Heero asked, "you don't want peppermint?"

"No, no." She waved him off. "I would love some peppermint tea. Thanks. I just don't know what I'm doing or what I should be doing."

Pointing to the kitchen chair, he said, "Sit. I'll make you some tea, then we can talk."

Pursing her lips together, she sat and folded and unfolded, then refolded her hands again. There was so much to figure out. So much to do. And she had no idea where to start.

Moments later, Heero placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her. She sipped it silently as her mind raced through the dozens of questions plaguing her.

"What's on your mind?" Heero asked, completely unaware of the storm brewing within her.

"A lot," she replied, unsure of where to start.

"I'm sure you have several questions. I've been thinking about what to ask our biological son. Do you have any in mind?" Heero naively inquired.

Was the man serious? And why did he keep saying biological? All that mattered was that _he _was _theirs _and it didn't matter to her how he came to be. She stared at him and then unleashed an onslaught of questions, even the perfect soldier couldn't decipher.

"Where do I even start?! What are we going to do? What is his name? Where did he come from? Does he even know we are his parents? I mean… where has he been this entire time? Who has been looking after him? Doctor J is dead, right? Or is he alive?! Who even found him anyway?" She stood up from her chair and began to panic as she paced back and forth in the kitchen. "And_ why_ is he in handcuffs?! He is _just _a kid! And I don't know anything about kids! I'll have to call Lucrezia. Yes, that's a good idea! She'll know what to do. Oh God! What will I tell her?! What will I tell Milliardo?! He's going to be livid. Ohhhh he'll really want to kill you now." She paused when she heard him lightly chuckle. "Heero! I'm serious! This is just awful! What are we going to tell them? What about our friends? Oh my gosh… what about the press?! How are we going to explain that we have a six year old?! This is a complete nightmare. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!"

She stopped dead right in front of Heero who looked like a deer in headlights. "Heero… what are we going to do?" She asked again in a much calmer and more subdued tone while staring straight at him.

"For once in my life, I have no idea," Heero replied despondently. Relena wanted to smack him. He was supposed to know what to do. He was the perfect soldier after all. He should know what to do in crises like these. She could feel the anger begin to rise rapidly within her as he added, "but we'll figure it out together."

_Together…_ She smiled at the thought. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," he stated firmly. "Come here." He extended his hand towards her and like a magnetic she was drawn to him. Placing her delicate hand in his, he gave it a reassuring squeeze then gently caressed her knuckles. She found his grip, safe and secure. He was the one constant in her life now and she knew she could trust him. With her life. With their newly discovered son. At that moment she knew everything was going to be okay. Somehow, they would figure it out together.

When he released her hand, she stepped closer still. She tentatively placed her hand against his chest, over his heart. Feeling the strong, steady beat, she gazed up through her eyelashes, waiting, hoping, daring him to kiss her like he did earlier. She needed him and she thought he needed her, perhaps even wanted her, like she wanted him.

He secured her in his arms and leaned down to kiss her but he stopped short, his lips lingering just an inch away. "We shouldn't be doing this," he said in a voice just above a whisper.

"It's because I threw up, isn't it?" she asked with a hint of humor.

At that, Heero laughed and Relena's heart leapt at the sweet sound. "No. It's not that. I'm not going to kiss you. Because if I do, I won't be able to stop." With that he brushed her hair away from her ear, leaned down and whispered, "I need to stay focused and you're making it incredibly hard for me to do my job."

"Heero…" she breathed out in disappointment. Despite being rejected, she relished in the tingling sensation from his lingering touch which coursed throughout her entire body.

His thumb stroked her cheek as he continued, "I should question our son and see what he knows. Maybe he can provide answers to some of your questions."

Her mind hung on the words, our son. Relena nuzzled her head into his hand so Heero cupped her face. "Our son…" she echoed him, feeling a new kind of warmth fill her heart.

"Mhmm. And as much as I want to kiss you, we need to figure out our next steps and what we're going to do with him," he replied gently.

Lord knows she wanted to have kids with Heero, but it was just… weird. This entire situation was just bizarre. Nodding absentmindedly, she agreed and stepped back from Heero. He was right. They needed to focus and she needed not to focus on how badly she wanted to kiss him right now. Their son. Her son was probably starving. Her motherly instincts suddenly awakened and immediately came to the forefront. Alarmed for her son's well-being she interrogated Heero once more. "When did he last eat? Has he showered? Does he need any clothes? Did he sleep well?"

Heero raised his hand to stop her interrogation. "He's had plenty of food. Although he's cuffed, he can get food out of the mini fridge and there are snacks on top of it, along with some age appropriate games and books. He had a shower before he was transported here. Don't worry, he has everything he needs. He's perfectly safe downstairs."

She still wasn't happy that her child was in cuffs and she said just as much to Heero.

"He could be dangerous, Relena. I'm not taking any chances."

Relena folded her arms over her chest. "He is _just_ a boy."

"So was I," he grimly countered.

Her breath caught in her throat. The man that stood in front of her was indeed the most lethal person on the planet. _Could he have been trained as a child assassin?_ The thought made her deeply sad and angry all at once. Even mournful of the childhood he never had, the love and joy he never experienced. She didn't know much about Heero's childhood but she could only imagine the training; he had to undergo intensive training to become a Gundam pilot. She just didn't put two and two together. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking," Relena apologized. One thing was for certain, she was going to make sure their son had a different future.

"It's fine. I don't want him to have access to any potential weapons or to get close to you until I know more about him and his capabilities," Heero replied.

"I know… I just want him to be safe…" she wished. Adding, "and to be loved," as she looked at Heero. A flash appeared in his midnight eyes, then disappeared just as quickly.

A few moments passed between them before Heero spoke up. "We will see what the best course of action is. I think he should stay in Preventer custody until we determine a better location for him."

"You mean under lock and key? Absolutely not! Regardless of what you think, he is _only_ a child! And I sure hope you aren't thinking about keeping my own son away from me." She snapped back. Relena may not know her son but she was determined to get to know him.

"I understand you want him with you, Relena. But, right now, we don't know anything about him. We don't even know his name. For all I know he could have been created and sent here to hurt you, to hurt me." Relena opened her mouth to protest but the look in Heero's eyes deterred her. "Relena… I promised that I would protect you and right now I don't know _who_ he is or _what_ he is. We have more questions than answers right now, so we need to be cautious until we know what we're dealing with. We shouldn't get attached either. Please trust me on this." Relena leaned into the warmth of his touch as Heero attempted to persuade her by caressing her cheek.

"Heero…" she sighed in a whine-like protest.

She was hoping her plea would change his tune but he was adamant. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I understand your concern, Heero, I do. But I just can't help but want what is best for him," she pleaded her case. Adding, "I am his mother after all."

"I know. Just keep in mind that you and I may not be what is best."

"He doesn't deserve to be locked in a cage, Heero. He should be able to have a normal childhood and I want to give him that if I can. I have plenty of money and more than enough room in my loft. I want to bring him home with me. He can stay in the guest bedroom and I'll take some time off of work. You've been telling me for months that I need a vacation, so I'll do just that."

A smirk appeared briefly before disappearing. She knew how much he hated when she used his own words against him. He may be the perfect soldier, but she was the perfect politician. Knowing she would eventually wear him out by conversationally exhausting him, she persisted. "I think it's a good way to get to know our son."

Heero's gaze gave nothing away but she knew she was getting somewhere even though he said, "I don't like the idea of you being alone with him all by yourself, Relena."

"Well, then I guess you'll just have to stay with me too," she countered. Heero quirked his head a little and she knew he would never leave her alone with someone he thought posed a threat to her. Her request or rather demand seemed logical enough in her opinion. To get what she wanted, she would use every negotiation skill to persuade him.

She heard him take a deep breath and eagerly awaited his reply. One of his hands ran through his unkempt mane and he looked away from her briefly before looking back at her. "I know what you're doing Relena. He's _not _staying with you," he asserted.

Letting out a long sigh, she continued to implore him to see her side. "Wouldn't you want a normal childhood if you had the opportunity?"

Her heart sank as she watched the tiniest glimmer of hurt surface on his handsome face. "That's a low blow, even for you." He turned on his heel to gather the folder that had been discarded.

_Crap._

She ran-walked towards him, hastily grasping his hand in hers and pulled him in a way that made him turn to face her once more. Gingerly cupping his face with both hands, she apologized. "Heero… I'm so sorry. That was awful of me to say." His hands covered hers as he peered down at her. He was unreadable again. His defense was back up, his walls impenetrable. He said nothing as he peeled her hands from his face despite her protest, "Heero…".

She persisted even though he made no reply. "Heero… please talk to me, Heero."

"There's nothing more to say," Heero chided. He pushed past her, his bicep roughly brushing against her shoulder almost knocking her over. She smacked her palm to her forehead as she shut her eyes and mentally chastised herself. She felt so stupid. She desperately wanted to make things right between them.

She whipped around, ran around him to face him once more. He stopped in his tracks, his grip on the folder grew tighter as she heard it begin to crinkle. It was now or never. "Then don't say anything." With that she rose up on her tippy toes and planted a firm kiss on his lips. At first he didn't kiss back, which momentarily made her second guess her plan, then she felt his steel-like resolve dissipate as his mouth opened to grant her access.

She could tell from his hesitant response that she hadn't completely won him back yet. Desperate to unveil the Heero she had come to know and love, she continued to show him all the affection he so deserved with her lips. And then, finally, she felt his tongue eagerly make its way into her mouth to find hers. Moaning with approval, she felt his arms encircle her as he walked her backwards until her spine pressed against the wall. Then breathless, he peeled his head away from hers and let out a low husky growl, "I told you if I kissed you I won't be able to hold back." Then nipped and licked a few tender bits of flesh on her neck.

Bracing herself by holding fast to his biceps so her forearms rested against his, she moaned and pressed herself against him. There was a firmness against her navel that she hadn't felt before and with each passing second it began to grow. Somewhere deep within her core, she felt a wave of heat and the need to be filled overwhelmed her. As his mouth continued to ravage her, she was so overcome with pleasure that she let out a sigh saying, "then don't." Not a second later did she feel herself hoisted into the air as he scooped her up by her bottom. She let out a gasp into his mouth when she felt his hardness thrust against her clothed entrance. Relena felt her legs spread even further apart as he positioned himself closer still. Skillfully holding her up with only one hand, she wrapped her arms around him so his head was buried against her neck. Her breath caught when she felt his free hand slide underneath the hem of her shirt. He kneaded her side and she desperately wanted him to venture further north. Her entire body longed for his touch. Strategically arching herself so her breasts rubbed against his rock hard pecs, she moaned his name.

"You have no idea what you're doing to me," he replied, his voice hot and heavy with desire. He nipped at her increasingly swollen lips before passionately capturing them again in a fiery kiss. Then he tore himself away and panted, "we shouldn't be doing this."

"But why?" she whispered, confused by his reply.

"Relena…" The way he growled her name in her ear sent shivers down her spine. He kissed her once more, then added, "I have a job to do and you're making it hard for me to get it done."

"Making _this _hard?" She gyrated her hips against his manhood.

Heero pressed her harder into the wall behind her. "If you only knew what I'd do to you…" His voice trailed off as he locked lips with her in a fierce and all consuming kiss.

_Oh please… I want to know._

Again, he ripped himself away. This time he placed both hands firmly on her hips as he put her down gently, holding her steady as she found her footing. "Relena…" he growled again, but this time in a more serious tone. "_Our_ son _is _downstairs," he whisper-yelled. "We shouldn't be doing _this… _not now."

"But I…" she began but was silenced by him once more.

His mouth left hers briefly to explain, "It's almost 10am and I have to report to Une at 11am."

"There's plenty of time to…" Relena protested.

Heero cut her off, gently saying, "I don't want to rush."

Moving back a step, but still in his embrace, she asked, "Then why did you kiss me… like that?"

Heero pursed his lips in a self-satisfied smirk, then he lightly chuckled at her apparently. "Because you needed it and I needed you to stop arguing with me."

Once again she opened her mouth in objection but found herself locking lips with him one more time. She seemingly lost herself to his menstrations but was abruptly brought back to reality as his phone vibrated. Secretly wishing it would stop, she tried to ignore it and so did Heero because he kept kissing her. But alas, he pulled away as he answered the phone. There was nothing more to say. She knew he had a job to do and she didn't want to get in his way. Despite her heightened state of arousal, she very much wanted to know more about their son. As odd as the whole situation was, she was eager to get to know him and be a mom, whatever that meant and entitled. Plus, she felt like she owed it to Heero to at least behave long enough for them to get answers. He offered his hand to her and she eagerly took it. He led them towards the basement door, where their son and their future, lay beyond.

As she followed him, she stared at their joined hands and smiled. Generally he only did so when it was absolutely necessary for security purposes, and even then, his grasp was harsh and unfeeling, unlike how he now held her hand. Regardless of whatever they found out on the opposite side of the door, she knew their relationship would never be the same. They were parents now.

* * *

Whew! What an emotional chapter! Relena has certainly been through the ringer and is an emotional basket case. I mean, no judgement, I would be too! Haha And how about our ever loving Perfect Soldier? Isn't he just perfect? I love exploring his post-war persona, particularly his sense of humor in this chapter. Please let me know what you think of this chapter by reviewing/commenting. I'm sorry it took so long to get out but life as a new mom has been rough and the pandemic certainly hasn't helped. Hope you all are doing well! Much love Gundam Wingers!

In Rose,

Wings Landing


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